Much : Skin By Skin
Previously making music in the mold of emo-leaning pop-punk, Malang, Indonesia outfit Much’s calling card was their balancing act between feather-light female vocals and easy-going indie rock energy - demonstrated to effect with their upbeat previous singles like Uneven. On Skin By Skin, much of their signature punch completely evaporates, moving their sound firmly towards twee pop territory – although with mixed results.
The track is undeniably a pleasant listen. Without the spunk of their previous stylings, the song relies on simplicity, anchoring its appeal almost entirely on the saccharine innocence of of its female vocals. As palm-muted acoustic guitars alternate with sparse waves of single-coil chords, verses on innocent yearning follow a rudimentary backbeat. The song is a simple ode to falling out of love and romantic pain (If I could do anything/Baby, I’ll do it/Till your little heart compromise/To our sinking hearts) – yet despite these rather melodramatic lines, the song works it to great effect. The key is probably the whispery vocal delivery – allowing for these lines to glide over the feather-light instrumentation without overt feelings of cliche. With its nature checking out with stylings reminiscent of indie pop darlings like Camera Obscura, Skin By Skin’s is sincere and earnest, ebbing and flowing gently as the song progresses through mild verses and swelling choruses.
But as sonic dessert goes, the aftertaste is a little too light, and doesn't leave enough of a lasting impression. Unlike other twee bands, Skin By Skin’s sense of polish actually takes away from any sense of genuine attitude, something Much benefited from through their previous sound's sense of punch. As a single, Skin by Skin establishes a comforting tone for the duo, but nothing surprising happens, with most of the track's ideas feeling rather predictable – instead of the refreshing citrus its cover suggests, the track feels more akin to skimmed milk with honey. In the end, the Indonesian outfit’s latest effort is a pleasant slice of indie pop that serves as a wonderfully gentle soundtrack to lazy afternoons inside. Much (no pun intended) like the sugar that it seems to portray, Skin By Skin dissolves upon closer examination, but still gets the job done with its comforting sweetness.